Transcript of The U.S. strikes Venezuela, captures President Maduro

The United States has struck Venezuela, and President Trump says captured its leader.

Trump says President Nicolas Maduro has been flown out of the country.

Our reporters will have the latest on this extraordinary development. I'm Daniel Estrin.

I'm Ayesha Rosco, and this is Up First from NPR News.

After a months long campaign to oust the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, President Trump says he's come through with threats.

The White House called the strikes on the capital, Caracas, large scale.

The US military has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean over the last few months. But what does it mean to capture a world leader? And when has it happened before?

We'll also hear what Venezuelans on the ground have to say. Stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

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The US has bombed Caracas in other areas of Venezuela, and President Trump says the country's leader has been captured.

It comes after months of escalating US pressure, sending troops and warships to the Caribbean. Npr South America correspondent Kari Khan joins us now from Rio de Janeiro. Good morning, Kari.

Good morning.

President Trump said in a social media post that Maduro and his wife are in US custody. What else do we know?

Inside Venezuela, we've heard that confirmed by the vice President, Delce Rodriguez. She's been on state TV via phone all morning. Here's some of that indignation from her that you were talking about earlier. She's been just saying this nonstop since the operation took effect. President Donald Trump. She's demanding that the US present proof of life that Maduro is still alive, and she's asked the same for his wife. She's also said that she is executing Maduro's defense plans for the nation that she says were practiced and ready go. Maduro has long faced US federal charges for narco-terrorism. The US says he's involved in drug trafficking and conspiracy with the Cartel de Los Soles, while the International Criminal Court is investigating him also for crimes against humanity, including torture and extraditial killings.

Kari, can we just start from early this morning, around 2: 00 AM local time? What happened there?

Sure. Reports started flooding social media with videos of multiple explosions throughout the city. I spoke right away with a reporter her, Vanessa Silva, and she actually lives right in front of the military airport La Carlota in Caracas. Let me just play you her first immediate reactions. I just wake up with this strong noise, super strong noise. I see the explosion. It was in the middle of the runway. She says relatives throughout the city were also reporting explosions, and Caracas is in a valley. She said you could hear explosions echoing throughout there. She said she was just terrified. My house wasn't shaking, but I was.

Then I hear airplanes.

She says there were several fires on the runway, but they were put out quickly. But she could hear airplanes continuing to circle around the Caracas guys for hours.

Well, it's incredible to hear that eyewitness account from someone who lives right near the airport. What do we know about the targets that were hit?

Beside the La Carlota military airport in the complex, a government statement was put out listing attacks in three other states, but it didn't go into details. The defense minister Vladimir Padrino, put out a defiant video statement this morning describing the operation. Here's a bit of that.

He describes US helicopters firing missiles on what he says were not only military targets, but also civilian neighborhoods, but he did not provide any evidence from that.

Tell us more about what reaction has been around the region in Latin America and around the world.

It's been swift. Cuba's President, Miguel Díaz-Canal, condemned the strike. He called it criminal. Colombia's President Gustavo Petro says his forces are being deployed to the border with Venezuela, and he's preparing for a potential influx of refugees from there. He's called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. Trump allies in the region are praising the action. We heard from President Javier Millé of Argentina, who celebrated the capture of Nicolás Maduro. He says, Liberty advances. He wrote that on social media. Curiously, though, we have not heard from the leading opposition figure, Maria Corina Machado. Remember, she just won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in Venezuela. She left Venezuela last month, and we're not sure where she is right now, and we're waiting to hear from her.

Kari, briefly, what are you going to be looking for as the hours unfold and the days unfold ahead?

Well, it's curious because we really want to see what's going to happen, who's going to step up in place. The vice president, like I said, has been on state TV saying that there are plans in place, and she will execute those plans as Maduro has said. But we really want to see what's going to happen with the structure and the military structures, particularly in Venezuela. It's not just Maduro, who's the figurehead and the power in Venezuela. His military-back regime relies on a network of officials accused of corruption and drug trafficking. The defense minister who's been out in front of a lot of this, Vladimir Padrino, he's top of that list. Venezuela also has vast support from Cuba, China, and Russia, so we're going to watch all of that.

We will be coming back to you frequently. Thank you so much. Npr is Kerry Khan.

You're welcome.

The US has long accused Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, of being the leader of a violent drug cartel, and President Trump has made it a priority to oust him since he came back to office.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Venezuelan leader and his wife have been indicted in the Southern district of York. Npr Whitehouse correspondent, Franco Ordonias, joins us now. Good morning, Franco.

Good to be here, Daniel.

Just bring us up to speed from your beat at the Whitehouse.

Yeah. I think what we've heard so far, especially from Kerry, this really just follows such a major buildup in US military power in the region. As we've been reporting, the US has been building up, including an aircraft carrier, other warships, thousands of troops. This buildup up was first focused on alleged drug boats, but more recently, the US actually seized an oil tanker, and then there was a land strike on a port in Venezuela. So the US was already taken quite unprecedented action, but this is quite a new development. I mean, for US Special Forces to go into another country's capital and capture the sitting leader, take him out and bring him to the United States, that's really quite staggering. Of course, as we just heard, the Venezuela The government is denouncing the strikes, and it's just bringing back such memories of the capture of Panamanian dictator, Manuel Noriega, by the George H. W. Bush administration more than 30 years ago.

What are we hearing so far this morning from the White House.

Well, the President said the military operation was carried out in conjunction with the US law enforcement and that more details would be shared later at his 11: 00 AM news conference, which he'll have at his Mar-a-Lago resort, his home. The White House has not responded to queries about where Maduro and his wife are being flown to. But Trump did call the strikes a brilliant operation in a brief interview with the New York Times. Senator Mike Lee actually said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him that Maduro would stand trial on criminal charges in the US and that the kinetic action that we saw tonight was deployed to actually protect those executing the arrest warment. Lee also said that Rubio told and he posted this on social media, that he did not anticipate further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody.

What exactly are the US allegations against Maduro?

Well, attorney general Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the Southern district of New York on a variety of charges, including narco-terrorism. He was actually, Maduro, that is, was indicted first six years ago, accused of narco-terrorism and weapons trafficking. Last summer, the Trump administration doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro's capture to $50 million.

Okay, Maduro is known as a brutal dictator. He was alleged to have stolen the last election. Seems like a moment for many to celebrate. There is still a lot of concern as well, though.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, for many people in Venezuela, this is going to be a moment to celebrate, but there is also a lot of uncertainty. I was speaking with Mark Fierstein, who advised multiple administrations on Latin America. He said Trump can claim victory for capturing someone indicted long ago. The question, though, is how much further is he willing to go?

There's a reason for caution because it could be disappointment if the regime stays in power. What are we hearing from authorities in Caracas Yes.

Yeah. I mean, as we just heard from Kari, the Venezuelan vice President, Delce Rodriguez, told state TV that she didn't know where Maduro was and was calling for a proof of life. There's a state of emergency as well that's been called.

What steps What steps is the United States outlining now?

Yeah. I mean, I'm going to be watching the President's press conference later today to see what he has to say. Of course, what steps is the US going to take to make sure the Venezuelan infrastructure doesn't crumble? I mean, it is really a delicate moment where we just don't know how things are going to turn out. I mean, in addition to where this leaves Venezuela, Daniel, there's also this big question about how Trump's own supporters are going to feel about this overseas act, such an aggressive act. I mean, Trump came to power with an America First agenda, and so far this term, his international focus has really alienated some of his supporters. So I expect we're going to be hearing a lot from Trump supporters orders, and there's going to be a new debate among them, as well as a Republican Party, as well as Congress is coming back. So there's going to be a lot of questions about that as well.

Okay, we'll leave it there. That's White House correspondent, Franco Ordonias. Thank you, Franco.

Thank you, Daniel.

President Trump says Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro, has been taken outside of Caracas.

Maduro is expected to be brought to the US, where he will be facing charges of drug smuggling and other crimes. For more, we are joined by NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myrie. Good morning, Greg.

Hi, Daniel.

Gosh, this happened in just a few hours. But after months Once of US military buildup, fill us in on the latest.

The US launched this operation in the middle of the night. Explosions rang out in the capital, Caracas. Helicopters were crisscrossing the sky. Photos from a military base on the capital or the edge of the capital showed smoke rising from a hangar. Residents in that part of the city said they heard many loud explosions early in the morning. According to the Venezuela government, the US military also struck in other parts of northern Venezuela, near the Caribbean Coast. Then a couple hours later, President Trump took to Truce Social and he wrote, The United States has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country. Now, a US official who's not authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that the operation was considered successful and there were no US military casualties. The President hasn't provided additional details, but as you noted, Daniel, he is planning a press conference or at least make additional remarks later this morning.

Do we know where Maduro is right now?

Well, not exactly. We know he's being flown to the US, but not exactly where. Attorney General Pam Bondi said he'll face charges in New York. He was indicted on drug charges back in 2020. Utah's Republican Senator Mike Lee wrote on X that he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was informed that Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the US. Now, it's worth noting this has not been done with any declaration of war, Congressional authorisation of force. Venezuela's vice President, Delce Rodriguez, has been on TV demanding evidence of Maduro's well-being. She said there have been casualties He's in Venezuela.

Greg, with Maduro gone, who is running Venezuela?

Well, it appears to be the vice President we just mentioned, Delce Rodriguez, who would become an interim president, assuming the US will allow her to remain in office. Now, the country's defense minister says the country is under attack and has ordered troops to defend the country. But at this point, the US operation appears to be over, at least for now. But there's still the question about what will many of the Maduro loyalists do. Will they try to stay and defend the country and the government? Will they flee? What will Venezuela's military do? We don't know. We should also mention Maria Karina Machado. She's the Venezuelan woman who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize and has been an opposition leader. She left the country, so her exact whereabouts are not known, and it's not clear what role she might play.

Are we expecting the US military to play a further role?

Well, at this point, we don't know for sure, but the immediate action appears to be over. Of course, US still has this large force that was being built up for months, basically since around August. We're talking about a dozen or more ships, including the USS Jerold IV, the world's largest aircraft carrier, perhaps 15,000 troops in the region. We'll be looking to see if the US continues with any action against drug smuggling boats, against oil tankers, or if, in fact, this operation may be over.

Npr is Greg Meiery. Thank you, Greg.

Sure thing, Daniel.

And that's up first for Saturday, January third, 2026. I'm Daniel Estrin.

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Our technical director was David Greenberg, with engineering support from Zoe Van Genhoven, Jay Ciz, and Simon Lazlo-Jansen.

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